Auburn football: The 5 biggest questions heading into Week 3 vs. Penn State

Can the Auburn football DL get to Sean Clifford and prevent a possible air-raid?

Sean Clifford is no Will Rogers, but against a Tigers secondary that struggled mightily against San Jose State QB Chevan Cordeiro this past Saturday, he has the ability to be their undoing on Pat Dye Field Week 3.

Especially if the penalty problems, particularly the PI plight, rear its ugly heads again, an air-raid assault from Mike Yurcich should be expected. Auburn’s DL is the key to preventing that by penetrating the backfield and blowing up the Penn State pocket.

Is the Tigers’ secondary capable of creating the defense’s first turnover of 2022?

While Sean Clifford should be expected to do damage against a Tigers secondary that he lit up for 28/32 passing and two touchdowns in 2021 and has since lost Roger McCreary and Smoke Monday, we shouldn’t write off the idea that one of his passes can sail over the head of his intended receiver.

Clifford threw 17 INTs between the shortened 2020 season and 2021, and one of those was to McCreary in Happy Valley last season. Though Zac Etheridge’s group is struggling early this season, perhaps the secondary could finally break out and force their first turnover of the season.